Expert says ‘let’s treat Covid like influenza’
AN infectious disease expert says Covid should be treated like influenza and other viral infections once the Far North gets through the peak of the Omicron variant.
James Cook University infection control lecturer Vanessa Sparke believes Cairns can expect high case numbers over the next 10 days, but has urged the state government to start moving towards the removal of mandates such as forced isolation.
It comes as Queensland chief health officer John Gerrard said “we are doing way better than expected but we don’t want complacency”.
Ms Sparke said it was time to rethink the approach to Covid once the peak had been overcome.
“With the current public health mandates we are clearly not learning to live with it, because they are still mandating isolation, quarantine and those sorts of things,” Ms Sparke said.
“We don’t have those sorts of things for influenza, so we are certainly not learning to live with it.
“What we are experiencing is more cases, people are (getting) more used to the mask mandates, QR code check-ins, showing proof of vaccination.
“So what we are doing is learning to live with that sort of thing, rather than learning to live with the virus.”
There are currently seven people in intensive care in Cairns and 84 in the virtual ward, with the region recording
We are certainly not learning to live with it. JCU infection control lecturer Vanessa Sparke
eight deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Ms Sparke said the virus would continue to mutate “for a few years” with new strains emerging, just like the common cold and flu.
She predicted that the Far North and much of the state was in the middle of its peak but that it would begin to flatten out after the first week in February.
“I think in the long-term, once this Omicron peak is subsiding, we need to start treating this like we do with every other viral infection, whether that be influenza, or
gastro,” she said. “Once the peak is over, if you are sick just stay at home for a couple of days, ride out the peak of your symptoms and return to work when your symptoms subside.
“As infection control professionals we have been saying this for years. It doesn’t matter what it is, don’t have that mentality of soldiering on and thinking you are indispensable at work.
“But we as a society and as a government, once this peak is over and things have settled down, let’s look at treating it something like influenza.
“Everyone gets vaccinated once a year or a couple of times a year (and) if you are sick stay at home, and work from home, which we have learned to do.”
It comes as Port Douglas businesses continue to struggle with disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Reef Resort Villas manager Jodie Love said many resorts were unable to capitalise on the extension of the school holiday period due to the short notice, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk delaying the start of the school year to February 7. Ms Love said
almost every business in the seaside town was still being affected by Covid and agreed it was time to end compulsory seven-day isolation mandates. “It makes it so hard,” she said.
“Having to isolate for seven days has put such a strain on everyone when staff are already limited, but our resort and the town has shown great resilience.”
Two of the town’s major pubs, The Central Hotel and Paddy’s Irish Bar and Grill, were forced to shut for a number of days due to staff shortages caused by the virus.